Transmission hoist



Aug. 19, 1958 F. c. HARMON TRANSMISSION HOIST 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 8, 1954 m 0% MM m m C K N m F MW 5 rL ATTORNEYS.

1958 F. c. HARMON 2,843,120

TRANSMISSION HOIST Filed April 8, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR 20 L 2 2 5mm (1 124mm I BY m v ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent TRANSMISSION HOIST Frank C. Harmon, Statesville, N. C.

Application April 8, 1954, Serial No. 421,920

1 Claim. (Cl. 212135) This invention relates to a hoist for elevating and supporting a transmission of a motor vehicle or the like when the transmission, the clutch of the vehicle, or other parts adjacent thereto are to be repaired or replaced.

It is an object of this invention to provide a hoist of the character described comprising a frame having tracks thereon which may be positioned in relatively small narrow spaces, such as between the fire wall and the front seat of an automobile, and on which tracks a carriage having a winch thereon is mounted so the cable of the winch may be attached as by a chain or the like to the transmission and then taken up by the reel of the winch. The carriage can then be moved along the tracks to withdraw the transmission clear of the fly wheel or clutch casing to thereby permit further raising or lowering of the transmission.

It is another object of this invention to provide a transmission hoist of the character described wherein the track frame is provided with an adjustable leg or legs on its front end and rigid legs at its rear end, which arrangement permits adjustment of the position of the tracks so that the tracks may be positioned in a horizontal attitude while the hoist is in use. The front leg or legs may rest upon the inclined front portion of the floor board while the rear legs may rest upon the portion of the floor board or the vehicle frame immediately adjacent the front seat.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is an isometric view of the improved transmission hoist;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal sectional view taken substantially through the intermediate portion of the motor vehicle and showing the improved hoist positioned between the fire wall and the front seat of the vehicle and having its cable connected to a transmission;

Figure 3 is an enlarged elevation of the upper portion of the hoist, partially in section, looking substantially along line 33 in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view through the winch or Windlass and its carriage taken substantially along line 44 in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary front elevation of a portion of the track frame showing a modified form of means for supporting the front end of the frame.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the numeral broadly designates a motor vehicle having a drivers compartment and an engine compartment which are separated by a fire wall 11. An engine 12 is disposed in the engine compartment and has a fly wheel or clutch casing 13 on the lower rear portion thereof in which a projection 14 on the front end of a transmission 15 is usually positioned, although the transmission 15 is shown as though withdrawn rearwardly of the casing 13. The drivers compartment of the vehicle 10 has an angu- 2,843,120 Patented Aug. 19, 1958 larly disposed foot board 16 and a front seat 17 spaced rearwardly from the fire wall 11. A floor board, not shown, is usually disposed between the seat 17 and the lower rear edge of the inclined foot board 16 and rests upon the chassis or frame F of the vehicle. The parts heretofore described are the typical parts of a motor vehicle with which the improved transmission hoist is adapted to be used.

The improved transmission hoist comprises an elongated rectangular frame broadly designated at 20 which frame may also be termed as a track frame, since it includes longitudinally extending side frame members 21 and 22 which serve as tracks for supporting a wheeled winch carriage or Windlass carriage-broadly designated at 23. The frame 20 comprises front and rear end frame members 24 and 25'whose opposite ends are suitably secured to corresponding ends of the tracks 21 and 22. The rear end frame member 25 has the upper ends of a pair of downwardly diverging rear legs 26 and 27 connected thereto to which an elongated transverse base frame member 30 is removably secured, as by bolts 31.

The front corners of the frame 20 have plates 32 and 33 suitably secured thereto, each of which is provided with two or more threaded bores 34 therein in any one of which a screw 35 may be threadably secured for adjustably securing a transverse bar 36 to the lower surfaces of the plates 32 and 33. Suitably secured to the lower surface of the medial portion of the transverse bar 36 is a tubular guide member 40 which extends downwardly and forwardly at an angle from the plate 36 and in which a front leg member 41 in the form of a rod is adjustably mounted and which is secured in adjusted position in the tubular guide member 40 by means of a set screw 42. The rod 41 may also loosely penetrate the bar 36.

The frame of the wheeled carriage 23 includes side frame members or bars 44 and 45 which are spaced more closely together than the tracks 21 and 22 and in the front and rear portions of which axles or shafts 46 and 47 are suitably secured. The axles or shafts 4'6 and 47 each has a pair of groved wheels 50 and 51 rotatably mounted thereon which are adapted to ride upon the respective tracks 21 and 22. The frame members 44 and 45 of the carriage 23 have a pair of bearing blocks 52 and 53 suitably secured thereon or integral therewith in which a winch or Windlass shaft 54 is journaled.

The shaft 54 has a Windlass, winch or reel 55 fixed thereon which is provided with a pair of spaced circular flanges 56 and 57 preferably formed integral with the Windlass or reel 55. The reel 55 also has a hub portion 60 extending rearwardly from the flange 57 which is penetrated by a tapered pin 61 for securing the reel 55 to the shaft 54.

It should be notedthat the bearing blocks 52 and 53 are so spaced that the front end of the flange 56 of the Windlass 55 slidably and rotatably engages the rear surface of the bearing block 52 and the rear end of the hub 60 slidably and rotatably engages the front surface of the bearing block 53. The bearing blocks 52 and 53 each preferably has a suitable oil hole 61 therein to permit lubricating the shaft 54. One end of a cable or other pliable element 58 is suitably attached to the reel 55 or one of its flanges, as at 58a (Figure 1). The cable 58 is wound about the reel and its other end preferably has a book 59 attached thereto.

The shaft 54 extends rearwardly beyond the bearing block 53 and has a gear reduction means connected thereto including a gear 62 shown in the form of a worm gear suitably fixed thereon, as by a tapered pin 63. Gear 62 engages a worm 64 fixed on an upright shaft 65. The upright shaft 65 is journaled in a pairof vertically spaced bearing members or projections 66 and 67. The lower bearing member 67 is preferably cast integral with the rear bearing block 53 and the side frame member 45 of the carriage 20. The upper bearing member 66 is preferably removably secured to the rear surface of the bearing block 53 as by screws '70. The shaft 65 extends upwardly beyond bearing member or block 66 and has a hand crank 71 fixed thereon whose outer end is provided with a suitable handle 72 to facilitate manual rotation of the reel or Windlass 55 through the intervening connections.

It will be observed in Figure 2 that, when the improved hoist is in use, the base frame member 30 of the frame 26 rests upon the floor board or upon the frame members F of the vehicle immediately adjacent the front seat 17 and the front leg 41 may be adjusted in the tubular guide member 40 so that, when its front surface is resting upon the inclined foot board 16, the tracks 21 and 22 will occupy a substantially level position.

There are instances in which the inclined foot board 16 has an opening therein above the casing 13 and, in this instance, a modified form of front leg construction is employed in lieu of the rod or leg 41 and which is shown in detail in Figure 5. Only so much of the frame 20 is shown in Figure as is necessary to illustrate the modified form of leg construction which is broadly designated at 80 and comprises an elongated transverse portion or member 81 which is formed with downturned legs 82 on opposite ends thereof adapted to rest upon the inclined foot board 16. A rod 83 extends upwardly from the central portion of the transverse bar 81 and is adapted to fit in the tubular guide member 40 wherein it may be adjustably secured by the set screw 42 heretofore described.

In operation, the frame 21 may be positioned substantially as shown in Figure 2 and, if the floor board of the motor vehicle happens to be provided with a raised portion in the center thereof, as is quite often the case, the base frame member 30 may be readily removed from the rear legs 26 and 27 and the lower portions of the legs 26 and 27 will then straddle this raised portion of the floor board.

The carriage 23 is then placed upon the tracks 21 and 22 as shown in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 and moved longitudinally of the tracks until it is positioned in the desired relationship to the transmission therebeneath. The operator then unwinds' the cable 58 from the windlass or reel 55 and the hook 59 thereof is then attached to the transmission 15 or to a chain pas'sed thereabout. It is preferable that the usual screws provided in the upper portion of the transmission be removed and then be employed for securing a suitable pliable element, such as a chain C, to the upper portion of the transmission 15 at its center of gravity. The hook 59 on the free end of the cable 58 may then be attached to the chain C.

Thereafter, the operator rotates the crank 71 a sufficient amount so the weight of the transmission 15 is supported by the hoist. The operator may then remove the bolts which normally secure the transmission 15 to the casing 13 and then the Windlass or reel may again be rotated to either raise or lower the transmission 15 as desired. It has been found convenient to position a suitable truck or dolly beneath the transmission 15 and to then lower the transmission 15 onto the dolly for removing the transmission 15 from the immediate area while repairing the same or while repairing or replacing any of the parts within the casing 13 of the engine 12,

It is thus seen that I have provided a novel, compact hoist for removing and installing the transmissions of automotive vehicles, which will easily fit between the seat and fire wall of a motor vehicle, which has a minimum of parts, may be economically constructed and may be easily operated.

in the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention and although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claim.

I claim:

A transmission hoist for motor vehicles comprising an elongated relatively narrow substantially rectangular frame having spaced side frame members forming tracks thereon, a pair of spaced downwardly diverging rear legs secured to said frame member, a base frame member connected to the lower ends of said diverging legs and extending beyond said legs and adapted to rest on the side rails of a vehicle frame adjacent the transmission thereof, an outwardly and downwardly inclined tubular member carried by the medial front portion of said rectangular frame, a front leg adjustably mounted in said tubular member, a carriage comprising a pair of axles each having a pair of grooved wheels thereon adapted to engage and ride upon the tracks, a second pair of side frame members in the front and rear ends of which said axles are mounted, a pair of forwardly and rearwardly spaced bearing members carried by the second pair of frame members, a shaft journaled in said bearing members, a reel fixed on said shaft, a worm gear also secured to said shaft, an upright shaft disposed adjacent the worm gear, a worm fixed on said upright shaft, a hand crank for imparting rotation to the worm and a cable fixed to said reel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 365,733 Cullingworth June 28, 1887 1,784,694 Kwiatkowski Dec. 9, 1930 1,952,238 Dice Mar. 27, 1934 2,198,414 Panchuk Apr. 23, 1940 2,381,913 Leaver et al. Aug. 14, 1945 2,516,364 Caddell July 25, 1950 2,562,189 Harris July 31, 1951 

